Jimmy Lundie, wearing cap in middle of back row, with Grimsby Town in 1889

Given that this is international week, and that Hibs have just celebrated a Scottish Cup victory, I've been researching a man who won a Scotland cap as well as the national trophy with Hibs. And for good measure, he also played for the team that declared itself Champions of the World. His name was Jimmy Lundie, and the fact that he ended up as a labourer in Grimsby docks takes away nothing from his achievements as a footballer. He came to the capital from Ayrshire in 1883, one of several Lugar Boswell players who transformed the fortunes of the Edinburgh club. In 1886, Lundie was the first Hibs player (along with James McGhee) to be capped by Scotland. He strolled through a 4-1 win over Wales at Hampden Park, but unfortunately headed an own goal towards the end. According to the Edinburgh Evening News he otherwise played a capital game at right back. It was his only international honour, but the following season he won a Scottish Cup medal as Hibs beat Dumbarton 2-1, the first time the cup came east. And to top that in August 1887, Hibs declared themselves 'Champions of the World' by beating Preston North End - even though it was really just a marketing ploy as Preston were not the English cup-holders that year. At that stage, like so many Scots players, Lundie was tempted by turning professional and joined Grimsby Town. It was not quite the football backwater that it sounds, as the club invested heavily in new players and reached the last 16 of the FA Cup in 1889, where he played again against Preston. Grimsby then became founder members of the Football League Second Division, and Lundie continued in the team until his retiral in 1894. He settled permanently in Grimsby, and remained there for the rest of his life, working for a fish merchant, and getting married in 1902. He died in Grimsby on 16 August 1942 and is buried in Scartho Road Cemetery. An early history of Grimsby Town paid him fulsome praise: 'It is exceedingly doubtful when he was at his best whether there was another back in the country to equal him. Cool, gentlemanly on the field to a degree, he scored to take advantage of a foe, and never during his career with the Fisheries was he known to give a foul.' One curious thing about Lundie is that his family changed his name when he was a young man, which made tracing his birth details quite a challenge. Although most records quote a birth date in 1857, he was actually born as James Lynden in Kilwinning on 3 September 1861, and retained that surname until shortly before his move to Hibs. His brother John, born 20 March 1865 and briefly a Hibs player, was also born as Lynden. ​

Hi, I'm a Grimsby Town FC historian currently researching former players. I was most interested to read the article from 31 Aug 2016, about former Hibs and Scotland full-back Jimmy Lundie, who later played for the Mariners and settled in Grimsby, entitled 'Jimmy Lundie, a Hibs World Champion.' Much of the article I already knew, but not his previous name mentioned in the final paragraph. I am an ancestry.com member, and like you realised that he was born circa 1861, not 1857. After further research on James Lynden, I also notice that his father Peter or Patrick Lynden was born in Ireland and his mother Susan (nee Reilly) born in Madras, India! Can I ask how did you unearth that Lundie was once Lynden? Also on the subject, Grimsby Town FC had another James Lundie serve them, albeit briefly from Jun to Nov 1920 as a trainer. The Grimsby press believed that he was a cousin of the former GTFC full-back and had played for Celtic, Clyde and Hamilton, though had more recently been a trainer for Irish club Shelbourne. The Grimsby News wrote; 'Is something of a giant... I have never seen a chest like he has got. In one practice match when John Clarke was injured, he picked him up in his arms and alone carried him off!'. I would love to know more about the two Jimmy Lundie's, plus any other former Scottish Grimsby Town player from the 1880s-1920s.
Regards, Dave Wherry